With love comes spring
by Claude Amelia Song
Summary: Love can be found in the strangest of places in the strangest times. Draco had never believed in love at first sight, until he had met her.


Durmstrang

Part time stand in for Year 7

Theme: Pan

Main prompt: 13. [Family/Character] The Malfoys

Optional prompts: 8.[Song] Venus – Shocking Blue

9.[Creature] Pegasus

Word count: 3500

* * *

_She was a goddess in his eyes and she'd come in his life like a flame at the top of a mountain, a torch in the dark, a guide to his own heart, hidden into darkness. She got everything he needed and more, so much more. Not even Aphrodite could compare to her in his eyes. She had everything to make a difference and a difference she did._

When he was little Draco had thought that he would live into old age, that he would live into the manor with his wife and continue the Malfoy line. Now, he just wanted to live. Live and find himself a new life.

He'd tried to after the war, but life had settled itself into a routine and nothing seemed to break it. Well, up to two years ago nothing had seemed to break it, but since he had been asked for the Department of Mysteries to work for them….he lead a completely different life. On most parts. It was spring for him now, but echoes of winter still remained. Draco still found himself contemplating sometimes. He was a good guy now, a white hat so to say, but did it matter in the end? Did it erase every bad thing he'd done? Every word that now he regretted? He didn't feel 'd been on the wrong side up until almost the very end, but he had been forgiven in the end.

"Draco, are you home?" the voice of one Hermione Granger, no ..was it Snape now...broke him out of his musing.

"Yes, I am. But you obviously knew that since you let yourself in. I would hate to think you break in houses with no master home."

She chuckled, probably just to annoy him further.

"No, of course not."

"What do you want?"

"We need your expertise. There has been a breach at the Ministry. The Ancient Greek Room…"

He didn't let her finish before he was up on his feet.

"In the Department of Mysteries? Are they insane? Do they have a death wish? Why didn't Potter send a patronus already?"

"Because neither of us thought about it. It happened very fast. The room is almost destroyed and the intruders are hurt to death almost. But we need answers and we need fast. You are a skilled Occlumens and you know what to look," she rushed before he could point her husband was a skilled Occlumens as well." Also, you work for that Department too."

Draco sighed.

"Yeah, I do. It was a new leaf in life and that they wanted me was flattering. "

Hermione shook her head.

"It's not flattery if you deserve it. I get that you still feel guilty, or maybe feel unworthy but that's not true. You are who you are. I have seen you work so hard in the last seven years, you are a complete change of who you were. You finished the last year at Hogwarts properly and you were the second after me. I watched you become not only specialised in mind arts but an excellent Auror too. And now you work for the Department of Mysteries and DMLE. Do you know how rare that is? We know you are working for them! Now, stop wallowing in self-misery and come to help us!"

Draco had to admit she had a point. But still, his heart felt restless and now it a good way. Maybe he needed a break or something and he should go get a change of scenery. It would be nice if he could go to Cyprus again. They had very nice Pegasi there and he rather enjoyed flying on the winged creatures They were so different from the Thestrals.

He shook his head.

"I know what they are after. I was told the drill ever since I have started working in there. Come on, Let's go. I'll tell you and Potter at the same time."

Hermione nodded and together they went to the Ministry of Magic, in the Auror interrogation rooms.

"Hello, Potter!" Draco drawled and then smile at the other man. All these years and he couldn't find himself to say Harry.

They shook hands then he gestured them to sit down.

"We get two or three times a year these people who are convinced they are doing the gods' way."

"What?" Harry asked, but realisation dawned on Hermione's face.

"Oh, my…"

"Oh my indeed, Hermione. They believe that the Ancient Greek gods were truly gods and that somehow they still live today. That room is on records because we share it with the Magical History and Anthropology Department and they think they can bring them back. They cannot understand that the whole lot of them were frauds and they passed from generation to generation. Wizards and witches who proficient in Obliviation and mind arts in general. It went from family to family until well you… it stopped being enough.

"So you see, I don't have to go there and look in their minds, I have to go and see what they destroyed because this is awful. That room had never been thrashed enough to get the "destroy word" until now and I need to see how much we need to do in order to be how it was." Looking at his two somewhat friends, he said " Potter, ask Luna to check their minds. She's as good as I am."

With that he rose and headed for The Department of Mysteries, Ancient Greek Room.

It was going to be such a chore. When he wished for something new, he hadn't meant cleaning up a magical room. He had left before either of them suggested to accompany him; that would have been a bad idea. They didn't know and his new work department had made it very clear he couldn't tell anyone about it—after all that's why he was an Unspeakable now, even if just part-time so far. That room was tied with the Time Room, which was pretty much forbidden from public eye and believed to be destroyed nine years ago by Potter and his friends.

But nothing could have prepared him for what he found out when he entered the room. It was completely damaged and his fellow Unspeakables were already there trying to work the damage.

"Good you came Malfoy, we need as much help as we can. The room is just..gone."

I could see that and i could also see some of the time sand leaking slowly and surely towards the Pegasus relict that we had received from the Magical History Department and I knew that it shouldn't happen. Time sand and relicts didn't mix well. So he jumped to take it away at the same time the sand touched it. He heard noises and screaming, but he couldn't reply…he was falling….. were...he was falling he didn't know.

* * *

It was sunny when he woke up and there was a cold breeze in the air. It looked like an early spring morning. Which was the first signal that something was seriously wrong. It had been summer tha last time he'd checked. Looking around he could see he was in nature, near some sort of village with...were those Pegasi. But how had he gotten here?

It took all but a minute for him to realise what he happened.

"Oh, no...no..no..no...no"

He didn't think he could add more no's to his problem. Time sand and Greek relict that you didn't know more information about equaled time travel. Probably to Greece. And probably in an era with the so called Olympian family around. Just what he needed. Spring in his life alright. How was he ever going to get back to his time? His consolation was that his fellow colleagues had been in the room, unless they were somewhere in time, that would be the disaster of the century. No one really knew you could time travel more than 24 hours and they intended to keep it that way. Probably not a chance now that he was here wherever here was. He needed to find fast when he was too...less he rewrote history in such a way that he killed himself in the process.

Draco knew he had to be careful not to anger the Olympians, they were many and he was one.

"Those were a lot of no's," a beautiful voice said and Draco turned to see an equal beautiful girl next to him. She was...perfect didn't even come close to what he was feeling right then.

And that was a problem as well. But maybe she could help him before he fell any further.

She had long dark hair with eyes like silver that burnt in the dark and she was dressed in the simple white dress and no shoes on.

"Do you need any help, stranger?" she asked and smiled at him.

"Yes, I do actually."

He had to know where he was and when he was and she was like an angel sent to help.

"Could you tell me…" but his words died out as cries came from the village.

"Ellia! Ellia, where did you go?" someone shouted over the sudden noise.

"What is happening?" he asked instead.

The girl shook her head and he could see how sad her eyes really were. Draco didn't know why but all he wanted was to make that sadness go away, to protect her somehow.

"The gods are angry at our village. My father, the chief so to say, disrespected Zeus and now we're paying for it. The Pegasi had been here forever, but ever since my father sinned, we have started to lose them one by one. Today they had brought a wise man to try and talk with the gods for something-to give them something they want so they would forgive us. The most loved Pegasi died yesterday and I...I cannot take it any longer. It was so not fair. Why did they ever do to the gods?" she cried and Draco couldn't help but envelop her in his arms. He felt anger at all the Olympians… the current ones anyway. How could they do this to animals? And Pegasus were...magical creatures. They were part of their world. Where were now the loving gods of nature or so? Hiding because they weren't strong enough?

"Shhh…" was all he could say." I wish I knew." But he didn't. He couldn't understand why was this the punishment. As much as he didn't know what he was doing there and why was this period chosen from all periods.

"I'm Ellia," the girl said and wiped her eyes." They are calling for me."

"Why?" he asked,but he had a feeling and he really really didn't like it. He knew the ways of whoever called himself Zeus and he absolutely hated. The thought that the beauty in his arms, one that rivaled any Aphrodite he had ever seen could be asked to be his lover made him sick to the pit of his stomach. If he could figure out exactly which Zeus was it...maybe he could work it out. Of course, he had a feeling this one was not so nice as Archibald or Thalasinos, but Draco was a skilled warrior now—requirement for the Mysteries Department and he couldn't let them get away with it. The girl… he felt a strong urge to protect and to care for. She had it all. She was beautiful...like a goddess and she was compassionate. Her eyes were crystal clear and he felt he could lose himself in them. He had believed in "love at first sight" but now he wasn't so sure.

"Ellia," the voice said again. They both looked towards the source and Draco could tell that he disliked the man. He seemed an awful lot like his father had once been and he didn't like it all. He was accompanied by who Draco assumed was his wife and another man, that looked familiar. Behind them, Draco could see probably half of the village, women and men, young and old, little kids as well. They all looked joyous, but some of them held a hint of pity in their eyes as well.

"Father?" Ellia said, her tone brave and no hint of tears on her face. If anything Draco liked her even more now. He could see her, a fiery lioness.

"My darling," the man said in sugar voice and Draco became suspicious instantly. The Dark Lord used the same tune before a good round of Cruciatus.

"We have invoked the gods and pleaded mercy on our village."

And in that moment Draco recognised the third companion. He didn't know whether to be relieved or … the Zeus of now, Ander...was nothing more than a big fraud with magic show powers. His father had been a great Zeus...he...not so much. He couldn't fight well and he wasn't loved by the other Olympians, but they all had a pact and currently Ander's family held the honour.

Draco smiled. It was good. He could protect her without maybe dying in the process. The others would not interfere. He was glad he had made his history homework concerning Ancient Greece. He had found it very fascinating at the time. That Greek wizards and not only could keep the play going for centuries...there was no wonder that the Muggles had revolted. He was glad in his own time no one remembered. It had been an eye opener to learn the true reason that the revolts and fires had started.

One of the Pegasi, probably sensing that something was wrong came and landed near Ellia. It was clear they loved her and his heart skipped a beat. She was perfect. She had it all. She could have been a goddess, a real one, but she was a Muggle. And with that Draco realised it didn't bother him in the slightest. Not even that he felt this way. He wanted to care for her forever if she'd let him.

He stood quietly behind her, ready to intervene if that was the case. While he hoped it wouldn't...watching Ander lusting after Ellia...he knew it will get to a showdown between the two of them.

Ellia was tense, he could both see and feel it, so he took her hand with hs, squeezing it gently.

"Have you, Father?" she asked, her voice shaking. It seemed she wasn't stupid. Once again, he thought, she had it all in the purest form.

"Ellia, come here my daughter. Sitting near a stranger is not becoming of you."

She greeted her teeth.

"I'm afraid I'll stay here, Father. He won't hurt me, he would have had a long time ago if he had wanted it so. So tell me, what have the gods said?"

Draco could feel her irritation at the said gods and he was right behind her .

"Lord Zeus," and the man gestured to Ander, who greened like the fool he was," had said he'd forgive us if you were to be his."

His what, had remained unsaid. Anger surged through Draco at the thought of the girl who really he had just met and who didn't belong to him at all, being touched by that ...old perverted man. Ander had been one of the worst and no matter how good some Zeus impersonators had done, people like him ruined the image forever.

"No!"Ellia cried and Draco's heart did too. He wanted nothing more but to take her away and protect her. And he would do it, right up the moment he went home, if he ever went back home, that was it. He knew that there was a high possibility. But feeling her hand in his, Draco thought it might not be so bad. His new job as Unspeakable had given him a new life, but this was… this gave the term of "new life" a total different meaning.

"I refuse it! I rather die! It was your fault! Why can't he take you? It is only and only your fault! Because of you my Pegasus died and now Illyria is without a mother!" she said, reaching out to pet the Pegasus near her; Illiyaria, Draco assumed.

Ander's grin flipped away and electricity started to feel in the air.

Nobody refused Zeus without suffering the consequences and he probably meant it to look menacing, but to Draco they were cheap spells.

"Indeed? You refuse such an honour?"

Ellia snorted.

"An honour would be if you were honourable. However I doubt that you know what honour is. If I remember correctly you are married, lord Zeus, " she spat and Draco could see his face darkening by seconds.

I couldn't help but leave a small laugh. The Hera of now, was not in fact his wife. Well.. the new Hera anyway. The initial one had been his wife, but had quit because of his infidelities.

It may have been the wrong move because all the attention was onto him.

"Find it funny little mortal?" Ander asked and that made Draco to laugh harder. The irony.

He took a step forward trying to look menacing, but compared to the Dark Lord, he looked just like a kitten.

"Quit the dramatics," Draco said, getting to the point. He could sense that Ellia was scared and the urge for her to be safe and taken care of preceded any wish he had to delay the confrontation. It was bound to happen anyway. He remembered now. There have been a point of history where the gods had sworn not to hurt Pegasi and they have been put off limits much like unicorns too. Some unnamed hero had made the king of gods swear and that had been it.

While that meat he was really in the past and not dreaming about the most beautiful girl ever, it didn't make Draco feel any better. The legends sounded like the hero had stayed there until old age. Meaning he wasn't going home.

"You dare to defy me?" 'Zeus' cried and the crowd backed away.

"Yes," Draco said, looking completely bored. "You see, Ander," and he stressed the name, " I know all about you."

The Greek paled, and the electricity in the air disappeared.

"How? Who are you?" he asked, shouting so loud that people started running towards their houses.

"Who I am doesn't matter, what it matters is that I am someone who could whip the floor with you in a duel. The girl said no and no it shall be."

Ellia was looking at him with wide eyes full of gratitude and Draco wanted nothing more than to hug her and never let go.

He let his magical aura be felt and the other wizard started backing away in fear.

"Of course, it's no." Before he could try, Draco disarmed him and had him pinned in a body bind curse.

"I warned you,"he said. "Now, for you to be released you must swear on your life and magic that you will let go of this girl. And that you and yours won't hurt magical creatures like Pegasi for your own twisted reasons."

"But...but...they saw…"

Draco shook his head.

"I will obliviate them myself. But you must swear. And don't count on your fellow gods to help you Ander. I know they don't like you much. And by the time they get wind of this, you'd be dead.

The other one had no choice. He swore. And Draco true to his word, modified everyone's memory, everyone's but Ellia's.

He took her away after and told her everything about him and the so called gods. She listened and by the time she was finished she could see she wanted to kill them, but he hold onto her as she cried and hugged her tight.

Afterwards, he had started courting her so to say. He had fallen fast,, but they needed to take it slow. Especially since they knew one they he could go back. She knew he had to go back.

But when that day came, three months after, and his friends appeared in the field where Pegasi lived like he had done as well, she'd surprised him by coming with him.

"If I stay, I'll be nothing more than a wife, with you, I get a new life. I know you're different and I know you won't hurt me. I can adapt. I can change.. I want to be there and with you."

He could only nod, tears in his eyes. He would never let anything bad happen to her. He'd protect her, always.

The Pegasus who'd stood by her side had come too, his presence or absence not affecting the future.

And so, the spring of all springs had come into Draco's life and there would stay forever. He would see his friends again, he'd go home and Ellia was coming with him.


End file.
